Summer projects are an activity that every student dreads. These projects are a common practice by schools to prepare students for the upcoming school year. Many schools debate whether summer-projects should be teacher-designed or student-designed. Summer projects need to be student-designed because it helps students retain forgotten information, allows students to prepare for the upcoming school year, and it keeps students busy throughout the summer.

Summer projects should be student-designed because it allows students to retain forgotten information from the previous school year. Subjects including math or science require concepts to be retained because they build off of each other. For example, it is required for students to remember Algebra 1 to succeed in Algebra 2. This sets up students for success so they are not lost when they enter the school year. Going along with that, teachers don't always have enough time in the year to go over forgotten concepts. A lot of school subjects go at a fast pace and have a lot of content to go over. This doesn't allow teachers to go over concepts from prior years. Making school projects student-designed will set up students for success because they have that prior knowledge to build off. When students retain information from the previous year, it gives them confidence when tackling new concepts. Schools try their best to give students confidence so they can perform to the best of their abilities. Their confidence can be damaged when they don't remember concepts from the previous year which goes into learning new subjects. This hinders their ability to succeed in school. Making summer projects student-designed will help them remember past concepts, which will increase student confidence during the school year.

Going along with that, making summer projects student-designed will give them an idea about the skills they need to know for the next school year. Before students enter a class, they may feel anxious about the difficulty of the class. Students may not necessarily know what a specific class is expecting from them. Making summer projects student-designed will give students an idea about the expectations of a particular class. This will reduce the anxiety faced by students because they already have an idea about the kind of work assigned in that class. Students will also get a head start on concepts learned for the next school year. When students enter school, they won't be confused when they start to learn because they already had practice on these concepts on the summer project. This makes academics much easier for students and allows them to have an understand even before the upcoming school year. Furthermore, if students are prepared for concepts learned for the next school year, it will remove the negative connotation that students have with school. Students often don't like school because it is challenging or they do not understand what is being taught. If schools assigned a summer project to students, it will help students think positively about school. This will allow students to enjoy the subject they are learning because they will not be lost trying to grasp the new concepts.

Allowing summer projects to be student-designed will keep students busy throughout the summer. Students often face laziness and boredom throughout the summer because they have no work to do. Making summer projects student-designed will prevent students from laziness and actually give them something to do. Keeping students busy during the summer will give them a better transition into the school year. Often, students are not prepared to work again due to having three months off. This makes the transition into school difficult for students because they are used to having that time off. If school projects were student-based, students would have an easier transition into school because they would already be used to working during the summer. Keeping students busy during the summer will benefit their work habits when entering the school year. Furthermore, keeping students busy with summer projects will keep their brains working. It is important that students brains are still active throughout the summer so they can be mentally prepared for the next school year. It is important for students to stay busy throughout the summer so skills such a problem solving aren't lost. Skills such as problem solving are important for student because it not only helps them in school, but in their personal lives as well. Students need to get used to staying busy in the summer because it will prepare them for a real world job. Students need to keep their brains engaged, which is why making summer projects student-based will keep them physically and mentally active.

Remembering information from previous school years, learning concepts for the upcoming school year, and keeping students busy are all valid arguments as to why summer projects should be student-designed. Making school projects teacher-designed will not benefit students in any way because they will not have the experience necessary to succeed in the upcoming school year. Teachers are already trained on how to teach so it would be unnecessary for them to be teacher-based. Going along with that, students need to realize that summer projects are not a punishment. Their purpose is so students understand concepts for the next school year and help them develop into successful citizens. Later in life, students will thank schools for these projects because it will provide students the necessary resources to live a beneficial life.